Ryder Cup not over despite Europe fightback warns Bjorn
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France: Europe battled back to lead the Ryder Cup entering Saturday's second day of competition thanks to an unprecedented foursomes sweep of defending champions the United States, yet European captain Thomas Bjorn warns the trophy fight is far from over.
Europe seized a 5-3 lead after Friday's opening fourball and foursomes sessions at Le Golf National thanks to four romps in the afternoon foursomes, the Americans unable to last past the 16th hole.
"It was great but we need to put our heads back on quickly," Bjorn said. "There's no time to celebrate. There's still a job to be done."
Reigning British Open champion Francesco Molinari of Italy, winless in five prior Ryder Cup matches, paired with English rookie Tommy Fleetwood to beat Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed 3 and 1 in fourballs and the duo then ripped Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth 5 and 4 to complete the historic foursomes sweep.
"We didn't come here to win the foursomes," Molinari said. "We came here to win something else."
Molinari will join Fleetwood for a Saturday fourballs rematch against Woods and Reed, who sat out Saturday afternoon.
US captain Jim Furyk dismissed fears of back problems for Woods, saying: "I'd have to say that's not true. He was actually out practising after the matches. I'm not aware of anything like that."
Woods, the star attraction after ending a five-year win drought last weekend, liked his shotmaking.
"My game is fine," he said. "My putting feels solid. I'll be ready come tomorrow."
Other Saturday morning matchups, all featuring US duos trying to repeat Friday wins, send four-time major winner Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia against three-time major winner Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau, Ian Poulter and Jon Rahm against Spieth and Thomas and Englishmen Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton against world number one Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler.
